A unique opportunity to participate in an evening discussion which seeks to scratch beneath the label 'organic' and root the urban food growing movement in the recent and not-so-recent history of social change.

Tuesday 10th June 2008
8pm (with food served from 6.45-7.30pm)

at the Hornbeam Centre
458 Hoe Street
Walthamstow E17
(near the Bakers Arms junction, served by many buses, nearest tube
Walthamstow Central)

with contributions from Christina Ballinger, Somerset Organic Link
Ru Litherland, OrganicLea and Growing Communities
and you....

The first in a series of discussions which seek to get behind a topic....
In this evening's discussion we'll be touching on:

'DIGGIN' DEEPER' : Scratching beneath the label organic?
The increase in popularity of organics hides a rift between the original ideals and the 'corporatisation' of organics. Ideals seeking to create a sustainable food economy versus big business cashing in with its usual cut-throat profit motive. How can small scale organic farmers sustain a livelihood in the face of big agribusiness competition, and ensure that we get food produced with integrity?

'DIGGIN' DEEPER' : Cultivating communities in our own backyards.
Sunday supplements are full of guides on 'growing your own' and wellies are apparently now official high street cool. Away from the glossies is a vibrant and hard working effort to take control, bringing colour and productive gardens to neighbourhoods in East London and beyond. Our food growing efforts in the city offer opportunities for social organisation, cultural renaissance, ecological recovery, and ermmm, providing quality healthy fresh food at a price that everybody can afford... When successful they are truly incredible – and pretty amazing even when they stumble a little!

'DIGGIN' DEEPER' : The first step of action is to know our collective history. What are the connections between, today's debates about food and England's peasant struggles of the past - who owns the land and how did they achieve this? A history of struggle, small victories and big defeats.

Christina Ballinger is a director of Somerset Organic Link, formed in 2001 as a partnership between local farmers to market their produce collectively.
Ru Litherland is a member of OrganicLea workers cooperative, and grower for Hackney-based Growing Communities, supplying its box scheme with zero food miles salad